A top accountant is warning Bath firms hit by the coronavirus crisis not to rush into seeking financial help through the government’s newly-amended package of business support. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced changes to the measures yesterday amid widespread criticism that they were not assisting enough businesses and that some banks were putting too many...
Three-quarters of South West firms were hit by the coronavirus pandemic in the first two weeks of March, according to a new survey which also shows the outbreak has triggered a marked fall in businesses confidence in the region. Lloyds Bank’s Business Barometer – a monthly survey of more than 1,000 companies carried out...
The latest moves by the government to support businesses, including relaxing the insolvency laws and removing some red tape, have been given the thumbs up by the region’s largest business organisation. Business West described the measures, announced by Business Secretary Alok Sharma on Friday evening, as sensible steps that would help protect companies weakened...
The UK government’s reaction to the coronavirus pandemic and its financial support for businesses has been ramping up daily. But Jon Miles, tax director of Bath-based chartered accountancy firm Richardson Swift, says that while the headlines may seem clear cut, the detail of how to claim any assistance is still to be released in...
In these challenging times, it’s sad to learn that cyber criminals are only increasing their activity as they look to capitalise on the Covid-19 crisis, writes Isabel Thompson, commercial director at cyber security and resilience firm Warner McCall Resilience. With the NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) issuing warnings of such activity on a daily...
Business organisations have backed government help outlined last night to support the self-employed and sole traders affected by coronavirus, describing them as a lifeline for around 5m people. The measures announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, pictured below, provide a grant worth 80% of profits up to a cap of £2,500 a month and are targeted...
Bath businesses needing up-to-date information, advice and guidance to help them trade in the current unprecedented market conditions are being encouraged to turn to a new web portal launched by Business West, the region’s largest business organisation. Called Trading Through Coronavirus, it aims to help businesses navigate their way through the crisis by enabling...
National business organisations have welcomed the government’s drastic measures putting the country into virtual lockdown in a bid to combat the rapid spread of coronavirus. The CBI said the action presented “great challenges” while the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said it made it even more vital that support for businesses was delivered quickly. ...
The South West TUC and Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, have jointly welcomed the latest government measures to tackle the economic and jobs crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. But in a joint statement they slammed the regional response as “too slow . . . fragmented and inconsistent” and called for further...
Invest in Bath’s website has the latest news on the range of financial support schemes, including the latest government measures and local authority grants and loans. The website is run by the business growth and regeneration teams at Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council in association with the West of England Combined Authority’s inward...
